Philip and Kelvin LaVerne

The father-son team behind Philip (1907-1987) and Kelvin LaVerne (b. 1937) started working together in 1960 after Kelvin, the younger LaVerne, finished studying art history, metal sculpting, and furniture design. The duo opened a studio in New York City, where they created stunning, functional art pieces (chief among them, coffee tables) in patinated bronze, pewter, and silver. Their designs were made using a unique technique that took around six years to perfect. Earlier pieces were inspired by classical motifs, while later works from the 1970s and 1980s were influenced by Chinese, Egyptian, Etruscan, and Greek cultures. Philip and Kelvin LaVerne furniture was created in limited editions of twelve, making them highly collectible today.